Reinforced box



forced, the side walls are apt to collapse.

Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED4 STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to boxes and particularly reinforced boxes. Specifically, the invention embodies a box made of a single sheet of cardboard or other similar material, and having integral reinforcing elements along each of its sides and ends.

In cartons it frequently is necessary to stack them, when loaded, one on the other. Sometimes this occurs in refrigerators where floor space is at a premium. When they are thus stacked, the load of the higher boxes must be carried entirely in the side and end walls of the lower ones. Where these walls are not reinforced, they may collapse. Where only the end walls are rein- Particularly in damp places, Where the stiffeners of the cardboard material deteriorates, it becomes necessary to have adequate reinforcement.

Such reinforcement is provided in the present invention. It is a box made of a Single sheet and having a unitary bottom. It has reinforcing naps that are folded in 'along bothV the end and the side walls and which are so designed that weakening produced by slitting of the material is disposed diagonally of the box so that both of two adjacent corners are never weakened. The box further provides a series of reinforcing flaps all of which, in the assembled box, fold in the same direction therearound, thus facilitating the fastening of the box in a fastening machine.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a box having reinforcement upon each of its lateral Walls.

It is a further object to provide a box of such type with an integral unitary bottom.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in such a box a series of laps that may be folded into lie adjacent all of the side walls to reinforce the same.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a box with a folded union at each corner, and with any unreinforced side wall areas diagonally opposite each other.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a box having the laps foldable all in the same direction around the box to facilitate fastening the Same together.

If the box is made of corrugated material, it will be found that the reinforcing flaps provide the corrugations running at of the main walls which gives increased strength and which, therefore, is an object of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view of a box blank with the slits and the fold lines shown;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the box folded and open;

Fig. 3 is a side view of' the box shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top View of the box closed and partly broken away; n

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of 5f Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken along the line 6 6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a box with somewhat different dimensions.

Referring to Fig. l, the box blank is shown indicated at I. It consists of a central bottom section II having ends defined by the fold lines I2 and I3 and sides dened by the fold lines la and i5. The end panels or wens I6 and l1 15 extend from the bottom section II beyond the two fold lines I2 and I3. The end panel I6 is limited by a fold line I8 that is a continuation of the fold line I4 of the bottom; and there is a slit I9 extending inwardly coincident with the 20 fold line I5 of the bottom and terminating at the fold line I2. In similar manner, the end panel Il is defined by a fold line 2Uv coincident with the fold line I5 of the bottom and a slit 2l coincident with the fold line I4 of the bot- 25 tom, the line 20 and the slit 2I extending in- `ward from the edge of the blank to the bottom fold line I3.

The side panels of the b'ox are designated 22 and 23. They are formed integral with the bot- 30` tom II and extend outwardly therefrom beyond the respective fold lines I4 and I5. The side panel 22 is'limited on one sideby' a slit 24 that extends inwardly from the edge of the material to the fold line I4 of the bottom and coinci- 35 dent with the fold line I2 thereof. Opposite the slit 24 there is a fold line 25 coincident with the fold line I3 of the bottom. A fold line 26 divides the side panel 22 from a top flap as will appear, and is spaced from the bottom fold line 4o Id a distance equal to the depth of the box. The side panel 23 is similarly defined by a slit 21 coincident with the fold line I3; a fold line 28 coincident with the fold line I2, and a fold line 28 dividing the side wall from the top closing. 45' flap.

The top closing flap 30 forms'a continuation of the side panel 22 and a top' closing flap 3| forms a continuation of the side panel 23. The slit 24 defines one edge of the top flap 30. A 50v short slit 32 extends inwardly from the edge of the blank to the fold line 26 and coincident with the fold line 25 to define rthe other edge of the top flap 3U. The top flap 3| is similarly defined b-y the slit 21 and a slit 33 extending inwardly 55 Y inforcing lap 35 .extends integrally with the end panel I1 beyond the fold line 2D. It is defined by the diagonally opposite intersecting edges of the blank, by the fold line 20, and by the'slit 21.

Integral with the side walls 22 and 23l and beyond the fold lines 25 and 28 are end wall reinforcing laps 36 and 31, respectively. The lap 36 is defined on one edge by the Vslit 2l and on the opposite edge by a fold line 38 thatl extends from the edge of the blank inward to the fold line 25 and coincident with the fold line 26. Beyond the fold line 38, this lap has an inner top closing flap integral therewith as will appear. The end wall reinforcing lap 31 is defined by the slit I9, the fold line 28, and a fold line 48, the latter being coincident with the fold line 29 and extending inwardly from the edge of the blank to the slit 33.

The previously mentioned inner top closing flaps are shown at 42 and 43. The flap 42 is integral with the lap 36 and is defined by the inter secting edges of the blank, the slit 32, and the fold line 38. Similarly the inner top` closing flap 43 is defined by the'intersecting edges of the blank, the slit 33, and the fold line 48.

In assembling the box, the end wall or panel I6 is turned up about the fold line I2, and the end wall or panel I1 is turned up about the fold line I3. The laps 34 and 35 are then folded about their respective fold lines I8 and 28 until they lie above the bottom fold lines I4 and I5, respecup about the fold lines I4 and I5, at the same time o-f the lseveral walls.

tively. The side walls 22 and 23 may then be arranged. To do this, the laps 36 and 31 are first turned up about their respective fold lines 25 and 28. The side panels 22 and 23 are then turned slipping the reinforcing laps 36 and 31 inside of the respective end walls I1 and I6. When this is done, the laps 34 and 35 will lie against and inside of the two side wall panels 22 and 23. The inner top closing flaps 42 and 43 are then turned down about their fold lines 38 and 40, as appears in Fig. 4. Finally, the top flaps 38 and 3l are folded over to close the box, whence it may be sealed.

Preferably the several reinforcing flaps are secured in position as by staples, or the like. It will be observed from Fig. 2, that the reinforcing laps v34, 36, 35 and 31 all extend laterally from an integral wall, and all on corresponding sides Therefore, the box may be placed in a stapling machine and rotated in one direction around successively to staple the reinforcing laps.

Where the depth of the box equals its width, the end reinforcing laps 36 and 31 will be square. Consequently when these laps are turned up and in adjacent their respective end flaps they will coincide exactly therewith. Similarly where the length of the box equals its depth plus onehalf of its width, the length of the laps 34 and 35 will equal exactly the length of the box, since their length is determined by the addition of the side. wall 22 plus the top closure flaps 30.

These are the most desirable dimensions for the sealing means.

box. However, they may not always be practical. Sometimes the laps 34 may be short of the total length of the box, as shown at 34' and 35 in Fig. 7. Similarly the laps 36 and 31 may be short as shown at 36 and 31 in Fig. 7. In other cases they may be excessively long as where the box is very deep, which would necessitate cutting them 01T. Thus it may be seen that one or the other set of reinforcing laps may be deficient or excessive in length. Where they are excessive, they may merely be cut off to produce the eect of Fig. 2. Where they are deficient as shown in Fig. 7, spaces will be left along the several walls without reinforcement. However, in every case there is some reinforcement for every lateral wall.

It will be observed from Figs. 2 and 7, and particularly the latter, that although there is one slit at each edge of the box, there is also at each edge a fold between a reinforcing lap and the panel to which it is attached, [with the result that no corner is dependent entirely upon external Likewise, this provides that where there is a deficiency, as shown in Fig. '7, the deciencies are diagonally opposite, which minimizes the possibility of collapse of the box.

In case the box is very shallow, the top end closing flaps will be short. .Where this condition exists, it may be desirable to overlap the top closing flaps 30 and 3 I, which may readily be done by increasing the Width of one or both.

Since all the reinforcing laps are folded as shown, the corrugations vof these laps al1 extend at right angles to the corrugations of the walls they reiniorce.

It will thus be seen that a box having reinforcement along all of its lateral walls and formed of a single blank of material, attaining all of the advantages described, has been produced. It will of course be understood'that the reinforcing laps may be located outside their wall panels, if desired.

What is claimed is:

l. In a box formed from a substantially rectangular blank of material, a bottom therein defined by a rectangle of fold lines, end walls equal in width to the width of the bottom and extending outward from the shorter sides of said rectangle of fold lines to the edges of the blank a distance equal to the depth of the box, a pair of side Wall extensions yequal in width to the` depth of the box plus one-half its width, a fold v line on each side wall extension spaced from the bottom fold line a distance equal to the depth of the box whereby to divide the extensions into side walls and top flaps, a plurality of slits, one extending inwardly from each edge of the blank to the respective bottom fold along the Corresponding side of each of the four walls to separate the walls and to provide opposite the slits on each wall an extension, a fold line along the several sides of the walls opposite the slits and along which the extensions are to be folded, the extensions on the end walls being equal in length to the depth of the box plus one-half its width, and a pair of slits extending inwardly from the edges of the blank on the sides of theside wall extensions opposite the previouslymentioned side wall slits to the fold lines demarking the top closure aps and their attached side walls.

2. In a box formed from a substantially rectangular blank of material, a bottom therein defined vby a rectangle of fold lines, end Walls equal in width to the Width of the bottom and extending outward from the shorter sides of said rectangle of fold lines to the edges of the blank a distance equal to the depth of the box, a pair of side wall extensions each in two parts, the parts attached to the bottom extending outwardly therefrom a distance equal to the depth of the box to form side walls, and the remaining parts extending therebeyond having a combined dimension outwardly from said side walls at least equal to the width of the bottom to form top flaps, a fold line on each said extension dividing the side walls from the top flaps, a plurality of slits, one extending inwardly from each edge of the blank to the respective bottom fold along the corresponding side of each of the four walls to separate the walls and to provide opposite the slits on each wall an extension, a fold line along the several sides of the walls opposite the slits and along which the extensions are to be folded, the extensions on the end walls being greater in length than the depth of the box, and a pair of slits extending inwardly from the edges of the blank on the sides of the side wall extensions opposite the previously mentioned side wall slits to the fold lines demarking the top closure flaps and their attached side walls.

3. In a box formed from a substantially rectangular blank of material, a bottom therein defined by a rectangle of fold lines, end walls equal in width to the width of the bottom and extending outward from the shorter sides of said rectangle of fold lines to the edges of the blank a distance equal to the depth of the box, a pair of side wall extensions equal in width to the length of the box and extending outwardly from the longer sides of the rectangle of fold lines to the edge of the blank a distance equal to the depth of the box plus one-half its width, said distance being also equal to the length of the box, a fold line on each side wall extension spaced from the bottom fold line a distance equal to the depth of the box whereby to divide the extensions into side walls and top flaps, a plurality of slits, one extending inwardly from each edge of the blank to the respective bottom fold along the corresponding side of each of the four Walls to separate the walls and to provide opposite the slits on each wall an extension, a fold line along the several sides of the Walls opposite the slits and along which the extensions are to be folded, the extensions on the end walls being equal in length to the depth of the box plus one-half its width, and a pair of slits extending inwardly from the edges of the blank on the sides of the side wall extensions opposite the previously mentioned side wall slits to the fold lines demarking the top closure naps and their attached side walls.

WATSON P. AULL. 

